I have been creating portal 2 coop maps from 2012 until 2017.
People keep asking how I create my maps.

Here is my guide:
"how to make hard portal 2 coop maps"

- start by playing other portal 2 coop maps to see what you like
- the goal is find puzzle mechanics that involve both players working together
- bonus points for thinking about something that is fun to execute!
- now think about what you want to add or change
- (please do not just copy someones map: create your own puzzle!)

- start by creating a test chamber to actually test things ingame (with the ingame puzzle maker)
- play around with the puzzle mechanic and do not care about design just yet
- make sure the puzzle works, try to find shortcuts and prevent them; 1 solution only!
- (maps with more than 1 solution can feel like the player broke the puzzle)
- both players should be involved in your puzzle - don't make 1 player stand around too long!
- it is not fun for any player to stand on a button for 5 minutes while the teammate is doing everything

- when you are happy with the puzzle, see how long it takes you to complete it
- the solution to your map should not take longer than 5 minutes to execute
- (blindrun playtime by players actually solving your map can be higher)

- here is the important part: playtest your map over several days!
- think about the puzzle, let your brain play around with different solutions
- all of my maps and puzzles were made over several days
- my creativity works best, when I take my time to think about each puzzle
- even just sleeping a night and waking up with new ideas improved my maps a lot!
- take a walk and think about your map: this was my number 1 way to improve my maps.

when you are done with your map and feel happy about it:
- add some nice design, polish the map and add lights to make it look good
- (find your own style and experiment until you are happy with it)
- (it can take while to make a map really look great, you will get better over time)
- and do NOT press "publish" just yet... take your time!

- get some playtesters and ask them to record their blindrun of your map
- (publish the map as "hidden" and send the link to your playtesters)
- other people might be able to find different solutions to your puzzle
- try to prevent different solutions and add the things they did as extra steps, if you can!
- my playtesters were always part of the map making and added a lot of steps to the final solution.

- if you really want to improve your map making: keep working on new ideas and maps.
- my first maps in 2012 were crap... I got better over the years. Just keep working on it. =)
- you will learn to make enjoyable and complex maps over time.
- find your own style, experiment and see what works and what does not.

- make sure to keep things, that did not turn out as you wanted them
- (you don't have to publish everything - keep it private for later use)
- you can always work on improving old ideas and make them fun to play

- creating really hard or "brainteaser" maps was always fun to me
- I would see it as a kind of "chess game", with a high number of steps required to "win"
- those maps were created over at least 3 or 4 days of creating smaller puzzles
- at the end I would chain those together and try to prevent different solutions
- playtesters were always involved to find better or even longer solutions to my puzzles

for more details about good design choices, check out this guide:
https://steamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=155812535

check out my workshop files for Portal 2 to see and play my coop maps
(created between 2012 and 2017)

feel free to leave comments on my maps or this guide.
have fun mapping! cheers!

-DrFauli, 03.04.2025